3 Stunning Houses to Tour in England

The English countryside is home to some of the most stunning houses and palaces that are open to the public for tours. The culture in England is one that has always been hospitable to travellers seeking to get an up-close view of its architectural treasures, even if those buildings were functioning as private homes. In the modern-day, the proceeds from such tours generally go to helping with the upkeep of these structures that are true pieces of history.

If you are looking to take a tour of any one of the stunning houses that are located throughout the English countryside, here are three excellent options to choose from.

1. Highclere Castle

While the official name of this castle is Highclere, many people will recognize this building as Downton Abbey, made famous by a television series of the same name. The estate itself dates back to the year 749, while the castle itself was constructed in 1679. The house as it stands today, was designed, and renovated in the mid-1800s. Today, Highclere is the family home of the 8th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon.

Highclere Castle has a history that is as captivating as the structure and grounds itself. That being said, fans of the television programme can book a Downton Abbey tour to see the castle in the context of the widely popular series.

2. Blenheim Palace

Situated in the countryside near the city of Oxford, Blenheim Palace is one of the more breath-taking stately homes that are open to the public. Even though this building was never the home of a Royal, it has been allowed to carry the title of “Palace”, a unique situation that only Blenheim can boast.

Known for being the birthplace of Winston Churchill, you can spend an entire day or more touring the house and the grounds and still not see every detail of stunning architecture and landscape of the extremely well-maintained piece of British history. It is a good thing that when you purchase a ticket to tour the palace, you can use that ticket to visit Blenheim as many times as you want for the following 12 months.

3. Lacock Abbey

Once a nunnery for nuns of the Augustinian order, this 13th-century medieval masterpiece of monastic architecture is open for tours. Not only can visitors experience the fusion of medieval and Renaissance architecture, but Lacock also boasts some incredible collections of art and photography. The Fox Talbot Museum is certainly worth a look as it gives views some incredible insight into the early years of the world of photography.

The other amazing things about Lacock Abbey are the grounds upon which it sits. With an array of wildlife and songbirds that you can catch glimpses of, you will love to spend a day traversing the scenery surrounding the abbey. Furthermore, you might recognize some parts of this building from the Harry Potter film series as certain scenes from several of the movies were shot there.